Greek Tragedy
by boomanimedude
Summary: Historical Fiction. Minos of Crete attempts to rescue his son from the Goblin King.
1. Chapter 1

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! The banging on the door echoed through the room behind it, giving fair indication of the intent behind the sound. The door would not hold, Sarpedon knew, and those behind it would soon come through it into the room. He looked at the babe in the cradle before him, and knew what he would do.

"Open before the king!" The voice reverberated throughout the room, its owner knowing the room held no escape for it's occupant, and that the game was up. Nowhere to run. Little did the soldier know that Sarpedon had no intention of running, but that the infant he held would not be with him when they entered.

He took a breath, and began to say the words. "I wish the goblins would come and take you away, right now."

* * *

With a loud crash, the door gave way. Soldiers rushed into the room, grabbing Sarpedon and binding him tight and taunting him about how he would beg for death before they were done with him. But all chatter stopped as a regal shadow came across the entry way.

"Your majesty, we have the kidnapper!" the captain pronounced, his head bowed. The king paid no attention to him, however; his gaze was focused instead on the cradle in the corner from which rustling could be heard.

He approached slowly, and carefully moved his hands to the blanket in front of him, and the head peeking out from under it - a head he knew well. But yet, something was wrong. Though he looked like his son at first blush, still he could tell this did not seem like Glaucus at all. He wasn't right. Something about his… aspect was wrong.

"What have you done, traitor!"

But Sarpedon simply smiled wryly. "Whatever do you mean, your majesty. Is that not your son?" The others did not know what their king meant, but he knew his son as they did not, and could tell this was not the son he knew.

And then, it occurred to him. With horror, he gazed at the child before him and uttered the word, "Changeling."

The soldiers now all stared at the baby as well, as the king spoke sternly to the babe that was not his son. "Be gone with your glamour, goblin."

The soldiers now saw that the swaddled creature by their king looked nothing like his son, and in fact did not really look human. In fact, he didn't look human at all. In fact, he looked most clearly to be a monster. The creature laughed and scampered away through the door, but when the soldiers went after him he seemed to have disappeared.

The face of king slowly and deliberately turned to contortions of hideous rage and hate that could have frightened Medusa herself. He turned to the captive behind him with bloodlust filling his soul. "WHERE IS HE, SARPEDON! WHERE IS MY SON!!!"

But Sarpedon remained calm as ever, with the fortitude that comes from knowing you will soon die regardless of what your next actions should be. "You know where he his, King Minos. As you have made me suffer, so too shall you now suffer."

His face fell. He was prepared to tear this man apart, but death would be too kind. Sarpedon thought he had suffered, but that was nothing compared to what would befall him now. Minos simply ordered the guards to take him away. He must think. He must prepare. Perhaps the Goblin King would come simply for being asked, but as it was not he who wished Glaucus to that kingdom, the path would most likely not be so easy. And time was short.

* * *

The wisest in the land. When he was younger, Polyidus would have thought such accolades to be the greatest of honors, a gift of greatness. Now he knew it to also be a curse. Though he wanted for nothing in his gilded cage, it was a cage nonetheless, and any luxuries he received were only at the whim of his captor. Should he ever refuse Minos, he would find his cage would lose all its gilding very quickly. And no matter what problems he solved for his king, no matter what solutions he found, he would never be granted that which he wanted most of all: freedom. He could never leave Knossos , much less Crete. And so he spent his days studying, creating, finding diversion in whichever way he could to try to forget the fact that the respected and admired Polyidus was a prisoner.

He was reading dialogues from Athens in his study when his captor burst in with frantic eyes seeking him out. "I need... to know... the way... to the Goblin City!" Minos panted as he caught his breath. The Goblin City? Did the king actually want to call upon the Goblin King himself? Did he realize what he was asking?

Polyidus thought a moment, then responded. "There are ways. There are always ways. But, my lord, there would be risks, consequences to such a thing. There are always consequences."

"Damn all that! My son is taken by the beast, and I intend to get him back."

So, that is what happened to Glaucus. Polyidus did in fact know how to reach the Goblin Lands. This was knowledge most arcane, but it was still known to some. He went over his table and opened a chest, mumbling to himself, " Phoenix egg... Hair of a Siren... Thread of the Three… Ah, here it is." He then produced a seemingly ordinary glass ball.

Minos looked confused. "So tell me, wizard, how will this get me to my son?"

"I'm no wizard, as I've told you before. But I know a thing or two of this world – and of the others beyond ours." He stooped down and began drawing a circle on the ground with some sort of powder, his hands doing so in an erratic manner that at first would seem to convey the shakes that come with age, but that a careful observer would see were in fact quite deliberate. And, one who was especially observant might even have noticed the line was in fact not a solid line, but contained within it the tiniest of markings scattered throughout.

When he was done, he handed the sphere to Minos. "What is this?" asked the king.

"It's a crystal, nothing more," the old man intoned. "But when you hold it this way," he moved the Cretian's hands slightly, "and step into the circle, it will help guide you to the one you seek."

As Minos approached the circle, the old man added, "One more thing: here you may be king, but when you are in His realm you will be playing by His rules. But His rules are still rules, so there is still a chance to get your son back. Gods speed you on your journey, your majesty." With that, the ruler of Crete entered the circle.

Nothing changed. He was still in the room. Polyidus was on the other side of the circle, seemingly lost in thought. "Fool, you did something wrong." But the old man seemed to not hear him. "Did you hear me? I've traveled nowhere."

"Quite right, nowhere is exactly where you are." The voice echoed from behind him. Minos turned to see a tall man, in strange robes and even stranger hair. So strange was his appearance and so confident his manner, that at first he thought this might be one of the gods. But he knew this was simply the nearest thing to the gods. This was a king.

"Are you the Goblin King? If so, I demand you to release my son."

"Demand? Tsk, tsk. You'll find I consider requests more likely than demands. As a king you should relate to that. The child was offered to me, the words were said, and now he's mine. You've other children, haven't you? Just be happy with those. Forget the babe."

"The child is mine, not Sarpedon's. He wasn't his to offer."

The Goblin King shrugged. "He was the only one with the child at the time, and is also blood. But the details don't matter. The rules are as they are, the child is mine, and you would best be on your way."

"I'll not leave without him! I am a son of Zeus, and I do not shirk from a fight!"

"Please. If everyone who claimed to be a son of Zeus really was then half of Greece would be of his line. Not that he hasn't had quite a few..."

Minos was ready to launch himself at this lord of goblins, but held himself back. He still needed to find Glaucus, and if he killed the villain now he may never find him. And then, he remembered Polyidus's words. "Are you telling me there is no way to get my son back, that there are no… rules for this."

The king of goblins' smile disappeared. "Oh there's a way. But it won't be conquered by the likes of you. It's over here." He stepped out of the circle. Minos followed, and suddenly was somewhere else entirely.

The tall king smiled. "But where are my manners? I should introduce myself, king to king." He waved his hand with a flourish. "I am Jareth, and this is my labyrinth."


	2. Chapter 2

Gone was Polyidus. Gone was the room. Gone was the palace. Gone was Knossos itself. For the Minoan king now found himself instead on a hill overlooking a large expanse of wall and structure of the most twisted and convoluted sort. And beyond that, he could spy a castle, its spires reaching up to the sky.

"Where am I, you foul creature?" The Minoan drew his sword, swirling around as he attempted to take in his new surroundings.

A frown crossed the face of the Goblin King. "Your insults are growing tiresome, and will certainly not help your cause. Your task will be that much harder if you push me too far. I am not some peasant you can make cower with your armies, or with your blade. In truth, your weapon will be of no use here, and I'll not have you endangering my subjects with it. Put it down, lest it bite you."

Confused, Minos looked at his sword. But where he had a moment ago been holding a weapon of the finest bronze molded from the forges of Knossos, he now saw in it's place a long black snake, hissing and turning its head towards him. He dropped the thing with a start. The serpent slithered over towards and up the body of Jareth, who then grabbed it and held before him the sword as it was before.

"A fine blade, but I'm glad your people still prefer bronze weapons over the iron those Achaeans use. You can have it back later. Or, for that matter, you're welcome to have it back now - if you've changed your mind."

"I'll need no blade to best you. Just tell me where my son is!"

"He's there, in my castle," his arm waving towards the spires in the distance. "You'll find him there - if you can navigate my labyrinth in time." He motioned toward a sundial which Minos had somehow not noticed before in a spot behind him which he could swear had been empty before. "You have thirteen hours in which to solve the labyrinth, our the prince becomes one my brood for all his days."

These words left him in the manner of a speech which had been delivered time and time again. This fact mattered not to Minos. He looked down at the maze below. It seemed a navigable distance in the time allowed. Twisted it might be, and would certainly be easier had he Polyidus to assist him. But no matter. He'd traversed defenses of numerous islands as the natives sought to defend themselves from his forces, and this would be no different. Crete would have its heir back, Sarpedon be damned.

"I'll take your challenge, King of Goblins. It's not that far, from what my eyes tell me. I trust you'll be fair, and not have some army set kill me at the outset?" He'd calmed somewhat, and realized it was in fact best not to antagonize his opponent further, as this was a contest by this Jareth's rules and so he must play this game carefully. His rage would have to be contained under a careful, calculating surface should he hope to succeed here.

"Oh, it won't be death you find, but I doubt it will be success either. You are not in your familiar shores anymore, son of Asterion. In any event, I shall see you soon enough. Till then, Minos of Crete."

Minos had been looking at the labyrinth, but on hearing this he turned around - and saw only the sundial. Jareth lord of Goblins was nowhere to be seen.

With the image of his son held captive by this villian's creatures clearly in his mind, he strode down the hill and approached his new fate: the Goblin Labyrinth.


	3. Chapter 3

The faeries were thick this time of year. His duties were thus all the more draining as he hobbled along the outer perimeter. Round and round, day after day, as his father had, and his father before him. How far back did it go? For how long had his kind been tasked with service to the Goblin King? Or did it even have a beginning, or was it just and endless line of dwarves with no beginning and no end?

Such thoughts hurt his head, and he couldn't afford a headache today. There were weeds to be plucked, stones to be moved, and, of course, faeries to be dispatched. It would be nice if he'd be given some other tool for this besides his makeshift swatter, but truth be told Jareth didn't come by very often to these outskirts of the labyrinth. Unless, of course, there was a Visitor: someone attempting to navigate the labyrinth to rescue some child. Then the other role he played for the King came into play.

But this was rare: those knowledgeable enough to know The Words were generally knowledgeable enough to know that what was said was said, and that the only way to best the King in his own land was if he chose to give you chance, which he wasn't always inclined to do.

Yet as he thought this, fate chose - as it sometimes does - to prove once again how we can not, in fact, know what time will hold. For coming down the hill was a man of purpose. The sweat running down his olive skin betrayed his quest: this was one who hoped to navigate the maze.

"How do I enter the labyrinth?" he barked. Obviously, the gardener thought, this was a man used to commanding others.

"Is that how you ask a question where you're from? Hrmph. Not much for manners, are we? I was taught that it's rude to ask questions of someone when you've not been introduced, and especially not in a manner less question than command."

Minos growled, but decided an argument would take longer than simply playing this fools game. "I am Minos, King of Crete and all the surrounding islands of our empire. I am son of Zeus, son of Kronos, and am not to be trifled with."

"Son of Zeus?" He than added to himself, "Is that what your mother told her husband? Convenient." He then added aloud, "Well, I'm Hedgewart, and I'm rather busy as you can see. So if you want to go into the labyrinth, you can do it over there." He pointed to an opening in the wall that the lord of Knossos could swear was not there before. He was beginning to see how deceptive this land was.

"What do you know of navigating its depths? Tell me now, if you care for your life, dwarf."

"Already with the threats? You won't last long in there, I'll tell you that. I don't know the way the castle, nor would I want to go there. Nor would you, if you knew much of this place. But I'm guessing your mind's made up on it, so I'll tell you what I can - not that it'll make a difference. All I can tell you is this: things are not what they seem."

"Hopefully that'll be help enough to satisfy you, but either way it's all I can say. And you might want to let me live anyway, since you may want my help on your way out."

What gall! Was the dwarf so callous with his own life that he would speak to him that way? Minos had half a mind to kill this Hedgewart then and there, but had a better idea.

"Oh, you'll not be killed yet. For you are coming with me as my guide." He grabbed the gardener by the scruff of the neck and dragged him kicking into labyrinth with him.

"Oh great," thought Hedgewart with a sigh, as he was dragged, not for the first time, past the walls. "He's one of Those."


	4. Chapter 4

How long had it been? An hour? A day? A week? Time seemed to lose its meaning in this place. Things had moved so quickly at first, navigating twist and turn in this cursed place that defied all sense. Then the dwarf had gotten away: one minute he was behind him, the next a wall had appeared. How was one supposed to figure out this maze when it constantly changed.

Yet he felt as though he Was figuring it out. The challenges seemed greater as he went along. And the castle felt closer - even when it didn't _look _closer - as he began to picture seeing his son again.

And then he'd ended in that well of hands, who - after he'd thrashed at them and demanded they release him - simply dropped him into this hole. The dark cave with no door or window, not unlike the dungeons he'd thrown various traitors into before. Though thiw one was different. It had no bars through which food could be passed, or though which guards could enter to use their own methods to draw out information or confessions of guilt. It was just a hole. As if...

"Its a place you put people to forget about them."

Minos turned sharply to see the dwarf standing there.

"How did YOU get here?" he bellowed.

"It so happens I have something you don't. A door." He then placed a wooden plank on the wall in front of him. Minos was about to laugh at the madness of this dwarf... until he opened it and revealed a passageway.

"Haha! I'm glad I didn't kill you, dwarf. Now show me to the castle."

"Incredible," Hedgewart replied with exasperation clear in his tone. "I no sooner let you out of this oubliette, which I didn't have to let you out of at all, and already you're back to barking orders again. Not even a 'Thank you'. Harrumph."

Minos paused, as a thought suddenly struck him. How _did_ the dwarf know how to find him, and _why_ had he done so? This was not Crete, so it would not be like a subject serving his king as expected. Except... maybe it was loyalty to a king, but a different king.

"Of course. Thank you for releasing me, my good dwarf. Now, where exactly are you planning on taking me from here?"

Hedgewart hesitated. This suddenly polite Minos made him more nervous than the predictable, angry one with his threats and insults. "Why, out of the labyrinth of course. I'm sure you've learned by now that it's a dangerous place, and that you aren't going to solve it. Better get out before wasting away in some oubliette."

"Naturally..." Minos smiled as he thought. He now knew this dwarf had more knowledge than he was letting on. He was not simply a gardener tending the walls, but was also working for the King of Goblins to lead him astray. Which meant he could get him where he needed to go. Minos had plenty of experience in getting information from others, and though he would prefer to rely on his palace interrogators who specialized in such matters, he was not above getting his hands dirty himself. Everyone could be broken, through greed or through fear, through gold or through the sword. He examined the dwarf, and wondered what ways would best work with this creature.

With these thoughts in mind, he smiled, and followed Hedgewart through the door.


	5. Chapter 5

The king of goblins lounged in his throne, looking out over the goblins in the throne room as the danced about; the revelry in their moves almost completely masked the underlying trepidation with which they entertained their newest addition. He gazed absently out the window at the labyrinth below, and almost didn't notice the object that rolled towards him until it stopped in front of him. Such was his distraction that it took him a moment to register what it was, when he saw the dwarven eyes still open on the head that no longer was attached to its body.

The dancing stopped, and Jareth turned to see the figure of Minos standing in the doorway.

A flash of anger - rare for the normally unruffled king - rose in him briefly, and was detectable in the voice that did not rise as he spoke. "What have you done, tyrant of Crete?"

"Your servant would not show me the way as I asked. He led me this way and that, and ended up with me back where I started! The fool tried to run, so I made an example of him, so you'd know I was not a man to be trifled with."

"Fool! He didn't KNOW the way. He could have taken you in the right direction and gotten you close at best, but would have had to figure out the remainder with you - which I can't imagine anyone wanting to do. What's more, I warned you not to damage my subjects."

"You don't frighten me."

"Then you're an even bigger fool than I thought. So tell me, how Did you find your way?"

Minos smiled. "A little worm told me, if you'd believe that. At first he seemed to think I didn't want to reach the castle, and directed me deeper into your maze. But when I asked why he though I should never take another path, the creature said 'If you went that way, you'd go straight to their castle, and no one would ever want to go there.' Can you believe it?"

Minos let a slight chuckle escape him before his face was once again deadly serious. "Now, King of Goblins and Thief of Babes, return what was stolen from me."

Now it was Jareth's turn to smile. "Oh, yes, you've made it here. But I'm not sure you realize just how long you were in that oubliette. I said you had 13 hours to solve the labyrinth, and that has passed."

Minos ran to the window to see the setting sun, and knew he was right.

"Curse you, Goblin King! I'll not leave without my son."

A wry look passed over the Labyrinth's Lord, and as he walked towards Minos the Cretian now noticed how tall he was compared to himself, and how much power was conveyed in his carriage. "Oh, I wouldn't have it any other way. You'll leave with him. He unnerves my other goblins now. But I meant it when I said that after 13 hours he'd be of goblin brood. See for yourself."

Minos looked where Jareth was pointing, and simply saw a cluster of goblins. But as he looked closer he realized one was a little different. Younger looking, and more hideous than any of them. This one looked like some abomination, neither man nor bull but a mix of both. He howled and grunted, but then, then Minos noticed his eyes. His eyes. His eyes were...

"Glaucus!!!" He ran to the newly formed creature, not sure what to do.

"What have you done?!?"

"I? I have done nothing. The rules are the rules, as you knew when you came here. He has been here the appointed time, and is one of us now."

"But he doesn't even look like the other goblins! He's... wilder, more threatening as a babe then they fully grown."

Jareth frowned. "And imagine him once he's full grown. But that is you're doing, not mine. The labyrinth is a living thing, King Minos. That is why it is always changing. It also adapts to ones inside it, especially one come to navigate it as you. An innocent soul may find it's challenges to be more whimsical flights of fancy, but one such as you who seeks a fight everywhere and addresses all problems with force will find exactly what they seek. And it is that nature that also affects what shades a newborn goblin may take. Look at him, my good king from afar, and see not only the son you knew, but also the physical manifestation of your own soul."

Minos growled, "Change him back, curse you, or I'll kill you here."

"Your threats are tiresome, and you've caused more than enough trouble here. Be gone."

The room seemed to swirl around Minos, leaving only him and his... son... distinct as all else began to lose focus and be distorted. But he still heard words from the lord of this realm.

_"Remember, he is labyrinth born now. He will only be at peace in a labyrinth, whether in this world or yours, especially as he grows."_

_"And Minos: Do not return to my realm."_

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Minos arrived back in Polyidus's chambers, but his advisor was nowhere to be seen. "Guard!" he called.

The sound of footprints approached. "Sire, I..." the guard stopped, stammering. Minos was irritated, not knowing what had come over the man, till he realized. He had seen Glaucus.

"Get me Polyidus. I need his counsel."

"Sire," the guard tried to maintain composure. "He is gone. While you were away, he slipped out of Knossos. There are rumours he made it out on a boat sailing for Mycenae."

"What!"

"You were gone, sire, no one knew where you were, and it seems he... left in the ensuing confusion."

Minos cursed inwardly. There was much to do, and Polyidus's knowledge would be of great use.

"Guard, who is the wisest in the land, save Polyidus."

"Why, that would be Daedalus sir, who arrived here not long ago from Athens."

Minos knew of this Daedulus. He was said to have fled there under suspicion for slaying his nephew. Such a man would be desperate, and would be very open to a king's offers. And he needed someone to design a construction for him: a place where Glaucus would be at peace, and to hide him from the rest of Crete. He looked down at his son - he still saw his son in those eyes, no matter what form that Jareth had given him. He would always be his son.

"Fetch me this Daedulus."

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Jareth looked out once more over the labyrinth and sighed, then turned to the matter of the dwarf. He picked up the head, and twirled it in his hand. As he did so it slowly changed such that what was once a head was now a crystal ball. He held out his other hand, and slowly the rest of the Hedgewart's body approached the window, but upon entering the castle changed into two other crystals, which he caught in the other hand. He added these to the first hand and passed around the three crystals in increasingly intricate patterns till eventually they seemed to be only light: a light which he then moved back to his other hand, as it was now a babe. A dwarven babe.

"Agnes," he called, and the goblin woman entered, having to - for once - discard her weight from her back.

"Yes, Lord Jareth?"

"Take him to others, the ones less... burdened. He is the new dwarf."

"And what will his name be?"

"It's.... oh, Hogwart I suppose."

"He's early, my lord. I thought we were still a good half-century from the next one."

"Well, things don't always go as we plan, do they? Now be gone."

He was in no mood for forcing conversation with this particular Agnes, and watched as she hobbled along out the door, only slightly bemused as she debated how much she could carry and still carry the babe safely enough as to not upset the king. When she was gone he gazed out the window once more. It was true, things don't go as they plan all the time. He had not planned on needing to use the Phoenix charm so soon, but it had to be done. There must always be a dwarf to tend the perimeter of the labyrinth, just as there must always be a Goblin King.

THE END


End file.
